I've noticed a lot of bad talk going around about the new zealand skydiving school in pudding hill.. whatever the talk was i can assure you its not true as i was a student there this year and currently on my work placement. me and the other 8 students on the january course had the best time of our lives and all learnt more than we were expecting, gary (world champion), darren, marika and mason are all excellent instructors who will all with out question go the extra mile to help. if anyone is considering doing the course then all i can say is do it (if doing 3point 8ways with under 130 jumps interests you), you'll love it and you'll get a huge head start in the industry. it was life changing for me. feel free to message me if you have any questions. chur

Chur, Hi. My son is exploring the possibility of the school - but as his sponsor (bank) - I want to make sure this is not a waste of money. Where are you doing your placement, what is your placement (manifest / video / packing??) and what exactely do you get for the school -= no of jumps, video, rigging etc?? Also, what assocation are they? (USPA / BPA / NZ???) Cheers Ken

Hi Ken, If hes wanting to get a career in the industry then yes i believe you will get your moneys worth and more! Im currently doing my work placement at taupo tandem skydiving (one of the best drop zones out there), im currently doing ground camera and driving the bus. a few of my friends have been lucky enough to already have a camera slot! the school provides 170 jumps (coaching from a world champion) and teaches all other fields in the industry. i recommend you email them or ring them and speak to them directly, they will answer any questions you may have. PH: (03) 302 9143 Fax: (03) 302 9140 Email: admin@skydivingnz.com Website: www.skydivingnz.com i hope this helps cheers nathan

You don't need a diploma in skydiving to do that. And the same introduction to a job in skydiving can be had by just going to any drop zone, taking the 1st jump class, and continuing in the sport. Hand around long enough, acquire enough skills along the way, and opportunities arise. This New Zealand deal isn't any kind of special fast track program, in my opinion. The same progression can be had at any DZ, through normal jumping.

You don't need a diploma in skydiving to do that. And the same introduction to a job in skydiving can be had by just going to any drop zone, taking the 1st jump class, and continuing in the sport. Hand around long enough, acquire enough skills along the way, and opportunities arise. This New Zealand deal isn't any kind of special fast track program, in my opinion. The same progression can be had at any DZ, through normal jumping.

That maybe true in the US and most of the world, by the NZ market is very different, and you or I don't know much about employment requirement at those dz's.

You don't need a diploma in skydiving to do that. And the same introduction to a job in skydiving can be had by just going to any drop zone, taking the 1st jump class, and continuing in the sport. Hand around long enough, acquire enough skills along the way, and opportunities arise. This New Zealand deal isn't any kind of special fast track program, in my opinion. The same progression can be had at any DZ, through normal jumping.

That maybe true in the US and most of the world, by the NZ market is very different, and you or I don't know much about employment requirement at those dz's.

rem, do you know enough about the market to make this assertion? I noticed you didn't say 'may' be different. So are the NZ dz's not set up like ours where you can just walk on and make some friends and get a job (at least packing tandem rigs and probably shooting video if you hang around enough weekends)?

This person seems to talk about driving a bus at a NZ DZ as a great find of a job! So maybe it IS different huh?

your quite right, all you need is a drivers license but in my case its my 1st week at the dz/in the real world and in the process of swapping over to a nzpia license. in the mean time while im on my work placement there watching to see if im reliable, hard worker etc and paying me in jumps. if they like what they see which they are they will train me up to be a tandem instructor. all dz are different, some of my friends went straight into camera slots. i chose my dz because of its name and location. as for other options to get into the industry are still very cost effective and a much longer progress, it worked out each solo jump only cost me $37 instead of $45 which is what people off the street would pay and we also got all the other training included by a world champion gary beyer got us doing 3point 8ways. i understand the states its different but if your a kiwi its by far the best way and if your from over seas, the over seas students were still very impressed on the course.

Hand around long enough, acquire enough skills along the way, and opportunities arise.

In reply to:

"Hang around long enough" being the issue?

I don't know of many 200-jump skydivers doing tandem ground camera at a busy commercial dropzone in their first year, although I guess it may happen once in a while. FYI, I am commenting on the US market, the NZ market and the European market. It's virtually impossible to even get a packing slot at any of the busy DZs unless you know the right people, never mind being on the payroll.

Additionally, these students have a relatively vast, in-depth knowledge of DZ ops that makes it easy for them to fast-track once they have their foot in the door. They can edit freefall video to a saleable standard, the understand aircraft economics, meterology, DZ marketing, they are experienced manifestors, they can pack whatever you throw at them, they can hot fuel an aircraft, facilitate DZ trauma first aid..pretty much whatever the DZ needs to get done, they can do it. You don't get that just hanging around a DZ, even if you are in with the in-crowd.

I have certainly never come across a situation where a jumper with 200 jumps (or sometimes fewer) would be employed and remunerated (highly) for commercial tandem videography. Again, I include NZ, the US and the rest of the world in that comment. According to Jumper156 that's exactly what a lot of his friends have managed to achieve. They'll be doing +/-500 paid video jumps per season in their first year. Jumper156 will probably be in the same position pretty soon.

Hi Ken. Im another whos on placement now after the course at NZSS. Ive found the level of training and experience I gained at NZSS to be invaluable. And i think if the people who say it is the same level of education you would learn at any dropzone were too see for themselves, they would be eating their words. At NZSS we learnt alot more than what you would pick up just by being around a dropzone, this is what gives us a head start in the industry. I am on placement now in Australia as a ground crew officer.

the quality has always depended on the senior trainer , his staff.....and the attitude of the candidate . video editing ? a kid with a phone can produce acceptable footage nowdays. im no handycam fan but it has knocked an enormous hole in the outside camera market...buses ,packing and marketing (answering the phone) seem to be the predominant result . best way to get a reliable opinion is talk to the dzs who have taken grads

You may be right, or may be an exception, I don't know, I've not met you, however the 3 people I've worked with who have come through that program have no business in the business of student operations. They are deficient in the areas of canopy skills, safety knowledge, and general situational awareness.

In January last year, Matt Schreurs was attempting his second tandem skydive in Queenstown as a customer.

Now, he has joined the NZONE skydive team.

The Invercargill man became a skydive photographer this month after being inspired to join New Zealand Skydiving School in Methven last June.

By January, he was ready to start working as a freefall cameraman with NZONE Skydive in Queenstown, where he made his only two tandem skydive jumps, the first back in 2006.

Mr Schreurs chose to live in Queenstown for the relaxed lifestyle, outdoor sports, nightlife and "the best scenery in New Zealand".

He had been looking for something to get him out of the "nine to five grind" and was considering an overseas trip, but on on a flight from Queenstown to Christchurch, he thought about the rush of jumping out of a plane.

"I couldn't be happier with where I am right now."

The possibilities in skydiving were endless, he said.

"There are a lot of different aspects to skydiving, with freefall, canopy flight, rigging, plus the different disciplines within them."

His job as a freefall photographer involves taking pictures of customers who are tandem skydiving at a speed of 200kmh.

On each job he jumps with two cameras on his helmet, one for video recording and one for taking pictures, and uses a bite switch in his mouth to operate them.

The company is celebrating more than 21 years of skydiving, having taken more than 180,000 customers on jumps.

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I understand Kiwis and Aussies pay less for the entire course than a retail price for the jumps alone. UK residents can I believe get a government loan to pay for it - including rig, helmet, suit etc. That is a big factor for many people looking to break into the sport.

Are you getting paid real money? Or are they just giving you a free jump now and then like the other guy?

She's on work placement.

What does that mean? Is she getting paid real money? Or are they just giving her a free jump now and then like the other guy?

A work placement is part of the course structure (work experience) many many training institutions organise them. They are usually unpaid as they are still part of the course structure. Industry training is supposed to be provided.

Sorry for the ambiguity. This is an NZQA-recognised vocational course of study, part-funded by the NZ Government. Depending where they are in their skydiving career when they begin the course, students do 145 - 175 jumps on the 20-week course. All students then go on to do a further 30 jumps as part of their 12-week work placement. The jumps are provided by the host dropzone. Domestic students (NZ/ Aus) find that the cost of the entire course works out at less per jump than retail price for the jumps alone, so the government funding is a real benefit to the sport. The placement is usually unpaid, as is typical for work placements (internships/ apprenticeships) which form part of a formal course of study.

During the placement students have additional written course components to complete. Also, depending on how many jumps they have and their skill-set at graduation, some students use the free work placement jumps to polish their videography capabilities. Many will start placement having already filmed a few commercial tandem jumps and have the DVD to demonstrate their skills. This means they are well-placed to fast-track to a paid jumping slot on payroll shortly after completion of their work placement.

Coming from the US, I found it a bit hard to get my head round this at first , but NZ Immigration is actively seeking qualified skydive instructors and videographers to fill a recognised shortage in commercial skydiving. Skydiving holds a prime spot in commercial aviation unlike anywhere else I've seen. The creation and development of this course is an additional measure to meet the demand. However , successful graduates with the right attitude do end up employed around the world and have a broad skills-base to enter the commercial skydiving industry.

Squeak, it is a manufacturer recommendation, not a USPA recommendation. I don't give a flying fuck what USPA says, but if I was to video tandems I'd want to be in line with the manufacturers, for liability if nothing more.

Are you getting paid real money? Or are they just giving you a free jump now and then like the other guy?

She's on work placement.

What does that mean? Is she getting paid real money? Or are they just giving her a free jump now and then like the other guy?

A work placement is part of the course structure (work experience) many many training institutions organise them. They are usually unpaid as they are still part of the course structure. Industry training is supposed to be provided.

Thanks for that straight answer. When people like that poster play word games like that, instead of just answering a direct question, it makes me real suspicious.

its actually not that interesting, its done all over in lots of industries. The difference between the skydiving industry and say the hollywood film industry is that one is easier to get involved with. You need to be able to jump out of a plane and probably say things like "dude yeah that was a sick jump" and "yes I can pack sigmas" and you're pretty much promised work on a DZ.